Clamp for use in hanging pictures



Dec. 28, 1965 s. SMITH 3,225,403

CLAMP FOR USE IN HANGING PICTURES Filed April 20, 1964 INVENTOR. STERLING L. SMITH ATTORNEY 3,225,493 CLAMP FUR USE IN HANGING PICTURES Sterling L. Smith, Altamont Road, Paris Mountain, Greenville, S.C. Filed Apr. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 361,158 1 Claim. (Cl. 24129) This invention relates to a clamp useful for hanging pictures by temporarily engaging the picture wire prior to attachment to permanent fastening means carried by the picture frame.

The clamp of the present invention is useful in solving the problem of temporarily positioning picture Wire when stepping back to measure or otherwise, level the picture prior to attaching the wire to the fastening provided therefor on the picture frame. Clamps constructed in accordance with the present invention are especially useful when used together with picture hooks constructed in accordance with the invention of my copending application entitled Picture Hook executed contemporaneously herewith.

Accordingly, it is an important object of this invention to provide a simple inexpensive clamp which may be used to effectively solve the problem of temporarily engaging picture wire without the necessity of modifying the picture frame or its permanent fastening means.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating a clamp for use in hanging pictures constructed in accordance with the present invention attached to a permanent eyelet carried by the picture frame holding a picture wire,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional plan view taken on the line 22 in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side elevation illustrating the clamp,

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 4-4 in FIGURE 3, and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 55 in FIGURE 4.

The drawing illustrates a clamp for use in hanging pictures including a flat loop A constructed of resilient material adapted to loop around a fastener eye carried by the rear of the picture. A reduced and overlapping portion B is carried by each free end of the loop. An elongated clamping member C is carried by each free end. A lateral extension D is integral with each of said clamping members extending into opposed relation with the other clamping member. Each of the clamping members are resiliently urged into clamping engagement with the wire by the flat loop portion A. Thus, pressure may be applied to opposite outside portions of the loop releasing the resilient force applied to the clamping members urging them apart. The clamping engagement may be released until the picture is level and the clamping force then applied until the wire is attached. Each of the clamping members and their lateral extensions present a longitudinal concave inner surface finished to enhance its gripping qualities.

The fiat loop A is preferably constructed of spring steel of the type used in constructing leaf springs. The loop A is illustrated as being looped through the eye of a fastener which is screwed as at 11 into a picture frame 12. The wire 13 is illustrated as being received between the gripping portions formed by the gripping members C and their lateral extensions D. It is to be understood Patented Dec. 28, 1965 that where picture wire is referred to herein, a cord, wire or other suitable strand suspension means is contemplated. FIGURES 2, 4 and 5 illustrate the concave surfaces 14 which are preferably knurled to enhance their gripping qualities for engaging the picture wire 13. FIG- URE 5 illustrates a preferred saw-tooth knurled construction in which the teeth thereof positively grip the strand 13 when a pulling force is exerted in a direction to dislodge the strand from the clamp. The strand tends to slide over the teeth when pulled in the opposite direction.

When a pressure is applied to opposite portions of the loop, the resilient force applied to the clamping members is released and the clamping members tend to be urged apart. The clamping engagement may thus be released until the picture is level and the clamping force then applied until the wire is suitably attached to the fastener 11 carried by the rear of the picture frame 12. The picture hook construction of my copending application described above is also capable of adjustment and when using same with the clamp hereof, such adjustment may be made with the clamp hereof temporarily positioning the strand with respect to its permanent fastening. It is advantageous to conclude the adjustment of the picture hook prior to permanently securing the strand.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claim.

What is claimed is:

A clamp for use in hanging pictures having wire adapted to be attached to permanent fastening eyelets and the like carried by the picture frame and formed entirely of integral material including, a loop constructed of resilient material adapted to loop around a fastening eyelet carried by the picture frame, a reduced and overlapping portion carried by each free end of the loop, an elongated clamping member carried by each free end extending in opposed relation with each other, the width of each clamping member being greater than the overlapping portion and said clamping members being urged into resilient clamping engagement with the Wire by said loop, said clamping members having a longitudinal concave inner surface finished to enhance its gripping qualities through a saw-tooth knurled construction, said saw-tooth knurled construction comprising a first and a second group of parallel roWs of elongated projections saw-tooth in crosssection including longer faces and shorter faces, all of the rows being at an acute angle to the side edges of the clamping members, the second group of rows being superposed on the first group of rows so that the second rows cross the first rows at an angle thereby forming a plurality of pyramidal teeth, all the shorter faces being directed toward said loop so that the teeth thereof positively grip the wire when a pulling force tending to dislodge the wire from the clamp is exerted, whereby a pressure applied to opposite outside portions of the loop releases the resilient force applied to the clamping members and urges them apart, and whereby the clamping engagement may be released until the picture is level and the clamping force then applied until the wire is attached.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 105,901 8/1870 Brown 29499 437,470 9/1890 Wright 248-31 759,045 5/1904 Tracy 24-259 X (Other references on following page) UNITED 3 4 STATES PATENTS 2,597,394 5/1952 SnOWden 81186 X Wilson 24 259 X 3,021,149 2/1962 Griffin 279-123 Skroch 294 99 3,177,542 4/1965 James 24-125 giiff g 5 223 5 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. DeSWart 2425 9 X BERNARD A. GELAK, Examiner. 

